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Friday, April 13, 2012

Rise Up, Moms! It's Time to Be Heard!

When I was in college I took a women's studies class to fill an elective requirement. During the course of the class I was belittled and publicly ridiculed for having taken my Husband's last name when I got married. I was told I'd given up myself (my worth and my purpose) and had basically made myself his doormat - all because I took his name.

It was also during that class that I was taught that a woman has to empower herself - That a woman must take charge, fight to exist, and strive her best every day to dominate in everything she does. I was taught that this is how a woman gains dignity and respect for herself. And I was taught that a woman who stays in the home has lost her self-respect. I was taught that staying at home as a wife and/or mother was nothing more than a woman giving up herself and allowing men to take control.

While in the class I wrote the necessary papers and I answered properly on the required tests. I nodded my head and raised my hand just like any other good student would do.

And then I went home and thanked God that my parents had raised me with brains enough to think for myself so as to not fall for any of that garbage.

I passed the class. In fact, I got an A. It's not hard to say what teachers want while in college. It doesn't really matter what you believe as long as you spout out what they want to hear.

And then I graduated. I entered the working world. I began a career. Life was going along at a normal pace and things were looking up. My Husband and I were happy and enjoying every moment of marriage - every moment.

Which led to... I got pregnant.

Now if I had really listened to my women's studies professor then at that very moment I would have been shattered over being pregnant. I would have sat there feeling crushed that my career goals were going to be interrupted and I may have turned on my Husband and blamed him for the pregnancy like it was some attack on my independent woman status - but that's all just hogwash!

I was thrilled! And the minute I found out I was having a baby this one thought popped in my head: "I'm going to be a stay-at-home mom!"

My worth and my purpose were never in jeopardy. I never lost self-respect. What happened was that my purpose became something new and exciting and it wasn't defined by me and what I had thought up. Rather, it was defined by a gift from God and a great blessing He bestowed upon me!

It's amazing what the liberal world will tell you when it comes to womanhood and being a wife and mother. It's amazing how people will take what the liberal world tells them and just swallow it hook, line, and sinker, as if being a wife and mother is a bad thing.

And it's amazing that people will take a woman's choice to be a stay-at-home mom and turn it into something bad, degrading, or worthless in their eyes.

This week America watched and listened as an attack was made on a stay-at-home mom. It doesn't matter who her husband is. It doesn't matter how much money the family has. The attack was made and it was made by someone in the political arena. It was said that the stay-at-home mom in question had never worked a day in her life.

The comment was reckless and rude and despicable. Someone in the political arena should know better than to make such a statement. A person in the political arena should know that to make a statement like that about one person screams as an attack on all.

To say that one stay-home-mom has never worked a day in her life is to say that all stay-at-home moms don't work. And that is ridiculous.

Oh sure, the political backpedaling has begun and people are trying to "fix" the problem, but let's face it - the damage has been done. The insult has been made and women all across this country are fuming.

I'm fuming. And I can't help but wonder if we had the same women's studies teacher...

Who gives women, or people in general these thoughts? And what kind of person says that to a mom?

I'm a stay-at-home mom and I'm proud to say that. I work my butt off every day. I manage my household, I practice creative financing so we can make it on just one income in an ever-dwindling economy. I am a domestic wizard - I cook, clean, nurse boo boos and take care of sick people, teach my children and train them up in the way they should go. I'm a chauffeur, a referee, a cheerleader, an activities manager, a counselor, a psychologist, and an advocate.

I work from sun up to sun down. And many times I've worked through the night.

I don't get sick days. When I'm sick I still have to show up. And not only do I have to show up, I have to be my best so my family can be their best.

I don't even get lunch breaks! That stereotype of Bon-Bons and daytime TV is just that - a stereotype. And a very misinformed one at that.

Vacation? What's that? I don't get vacation from my job. My job is my life. And you know what, that's not a complaint. When I think of the job I do... Yes, I am tired. Yes, I am worn out a lot of the time. Yes, I long for a good nap. But I couldn't ask for a better position. My children, their smiles and their successes, make what I do worth every ounce of energy I expend.

Stay-at-home moms work hard every second of every day. We don't back down. We are the Marines of the mom world! And to say that a stay-at-home mom doesn't work is just the most insulting thing I have ever heard so I am posting today to say rise up, Blogging Moms! Let it be known to the masses that you do your job and you do it proudly! As a friend of mine said today, we moms are driving the economy... And if those in the political arena don't think we know what's going on and think that we don't have any experience then they are sorely mistaken.

Rise up, Blogging Moms! This is the time to say something. This is the time to do something. Make your voice be heard! Mom up! My women's studies professor would be so proud to hear me say to you that you are women, let them hear you roar!

Well said!! I have a sister-in-law who graduated college because her parents wanted her to be a cpa but she wholeheartedly wants to be a stay-at-home mom. I applaud her enthusiasm as I think being a mom who does what she loves whether its home or at work should be respected. I am sad that moms in general feel the need to defend themselves so much but perhaps that is part of the curse (thanks Eve ;).

I took a similar class in college and I HATED it. We had to read a book- I can't remember the exact title so I can't find it online, but something about the title was "A labor of love" and the whole book went on to attack all the things that women do out of love for their families. For example, do I LIKE wiping poopy bottoms or scrubbing the shower?? NO. But I'm not less of a person/woman because I choose to do it and isn't doing it out of love a GOOD thing?! I think this teaching has a lot to do with the breakdown of families. I think there is nothing uglier than a man who is barely a man because his woman has to "dominate" EVERYTHING. Sure, I believe in equality- same pay for the same work, women's brains work just as well as men's, etc, etc. but this whole thing makes it out that unless a women "is everything" that it's not enough. Yes, there are a lot of things still out there that aren't fair towards women, but it's sad that we're taught that being home isn't good enough. (And....if a woman has to work to help support the family, that's okay too...this isn't saying that they shouldn't- I'm not hating, just defending "me". lol!) The only thing I liked/agreed with in that class is that girl sports teams (especially in high school) should be given the same financial backing/opportunities as boys teams.

I apologize for not commenting on this earlier this week, because I DID read it when you posted it, but I couldn't end the week without telling you that this was one of the BEST things I've read in a long time. I really wanted to you to know that. <3